I guess we are back where we started, even worse off. The LTTE have abandoned their targeted attacks and moved on to civilian killing mode. Perhaps this is because of their military set backs, or because their ‘targeted’ killings have miserably failed in recent times, perhaps it’s a case of GoSL and the so called International Community has simply run out of ‘carrots’ to tame the tigers. LTTE is already a banned organization in many countries of influence and they don’t have a whole lot to loose by doing basically anything.There can be no justification for these things, there’s no doubt that the current administration has a poor human rights record, and the situation in the NE is unspeakably bad. But to say this was a reprisal attack on behalf of the Vahari Tamils is a bloody joke. LTTE uses the Vahari civilians to provoke attacks from the GoSL for International propaganda, and probably great pictures to extort diaspora cash.
Due to the mental instability of prabhakarn and the extensive intake of Viagra by Mahinda the situation in the country is a bit fucked up. Getting on a bus in Colombo is now that much more dangerous, I take comfort in the fact that statistically I still have a better chance of getting run over by some drunk
The ID-checking on buses was intensified yesterday; they check whether you are Sinhalese. I am, so it’s all good. To be honest though, they check whether you are from NE and if you’re Tamil, then you got to explain what the fuck you are doing here, for how long, and what your father does for a living. Some Army buggers are not disrespectful, they just do their job. Others try to mock; Police seems to be worse in this department. Of course the law-abiding Tamils are supposed to understand, some of them seem to, but if I was subjected to the same treatment, I’d be pretty pissed, I know they are too. It tends to be a vicious circle.
The great tragedy in all this is that the government doesn’t seem to have a coherent strategy to bring about progress in the resolution of this conflict, Sarath Fonseka and the Mihin-government seems to think they can win this war, and ‘liberate’ first the east and then the rest of the country. I hope for the sake of everyone, that their optimism is based on facts on the ground rather than advice of venerable war-monks and the red-clan.
I, as always have my doubts.
17 comments:
You've hit the nail pretty much on the head here mate... The attacks are the LTTE going into desperate but comfortable mode (for them). The government also sits on its rear end and does nothing. Absolutely no concrete proposal for peace. There were some rubbishy peace talks with nothing solid being put forward. Nothing to bind them from using violence. So the LTTE gets a field day.
They can go on a killing spree of their own...and somehow manage to justify it too... There seems no end this in the foreseeable future.
While I agree with what you've said, the gov. doesn't have much of a choice. Ranil Uncle almost sold the country away before he was removed.
Negotiations can happen with Tamil parties but not with the Sun God, for whom anything short of Eelam would constitute a defeat.
For years we suffered thinking that we could never beat the LTTE militarily. For all his faults, Sarath Fonseka is changing that belief.I for one back the clearing of the Eastern province.
Like Dark Horse says i think the LTTE is more comfortable playing the guerrilla war game as opposed to open dialogue, where they'd have to inevitably compromise their elamist position. which they did, as you know by agreeing to 'explore' a federal solution.
i think, that somehow binding LTTE at the negotiating table is the best way of weakening their position. This is not to negate 'any' military action, but i think the overall strategy should be based on negotiations.
on the question of 'Selling' the country, perhaps it's worth to examine that claim a bit further, rather than spitting out a classic JVP-line.
If you are suggesting that the LTTE is stronger militarily, internationally or even politically after the Ceasefire agreement, I beg to differ.
Splitting of Karuna, and LTTE's blatant violations of the CFA turned most of the international equations against its favor while easily conceding the moral high ground to the Govt. a status the govt never had before. The Govt. may have been conceding that high ground in recent times, but that's due to its own inadequacies rather than the fault of the CFA or Ranil.
i think the CFA was a chance to both the LTTE and the government, it was no perfect agreement. there is no such thing as a perfect agreement. every thing is a compromise. if anyone at the time strived for perfection there would not have been a ceasefire at all. which at that time was the people wanted.
The intention of the government by intensifying attacks in North AND east is perhaps not exactly to win the war, but rather to bring the LTTE in to the discussion arena.
The effective way to answer the stubborn nature of the LTTE can be devided in to a few stages. First step shall be that the LTTE should be severely attacked to the extent of destructing all of their strong inside pillars. Then it's always better to wait until they make a major mistake which will inevitably receive the international attention. Then the Government should immediately pressurize the LTTE to come to negotiation tables. Well you may find that theratically my procedure is like eating an ice cream, but i acknowledge that the reality is way harder than theories
Nice post!
well, maxxa i frankly dont think that govt is all that concerned about 'forcing LTTE on to the negotiations'
like i said before i think Sarath Fonseka thinks he can win the war, in fact he's has reportedly said that he would finish it off in this year.
you are right in the sense that reality is way harder, and that's why the effects of these actions on civilians particularly in the NE. the govt in recent times has pledged that it would not compromise the security of the ppl for anything, Does 'this security' only applies outside the NE? these are the hard questions.
I voted for mahinda....My mistake...He has proved chandrika was much much better... Like Saddam Hussein was hung can't we hang Mahinda maama??
Maestro, What UNP machan?
Karu J is supposed to take up portfolios soon. UNP cant come into power ne time soon.
and u gotta be kiddin right ? JVP can save the country from division? are we even talkin abt the same country?
On yuor "this security applies only to people outside the NE"
Well i don't know what kind of security measures has been taken by the Government in order to safeguard the civilians in the North and East and IDP's. But one thing i can say is that the Government has not totally abondoned the security of the inhabitants of N&E. But the problem is, the government faces difficulties in providing facilities due to the high population in the area and lck of resources and constant attacks by the LTTE. Well he Gov and ARmy are totally helpless when the LTTE gives wings to artilleries. But i am sure the GOV's policy you have mentioned applies uniformely to the whole of sri lanka...
Deane, you mentioned that Sri Lanka must be a secular country? I agree, so that wonderful stuff like this can be shown on all TV channels:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=3KiAvmzcZbg
But no, the horrible Buddhist State takes care to ban things "offensive" to Christians from movies to books.
seems like a funny video sam, i dont have audio where i am right now, will check it out later.
yes, technically i'm fine with this sort of thing being 'allowed' to be shown on TV. it's unlikely, since Sirasa Nor swarnawahini would like to piss off its customers.
There are as you might know, different forms of secularism practiced in different countries. some states go to the point of not 'recognizing' religion at all, while others just focus on a clear separation of church and the state while others try to be all apeasing without necessarily appeasing one over the other.
i would prefer if the state become something like the first kind, but knowing the cultural context it would be unlikely, it can perhaps 'become' the third kind i mentioned. what i said in groundviews post (if this is what you are referring to) is that the state should not be defined as being Buddhist, and that is detrimental for achieving a true sri lankan identity.
Also, if you have read this blog earlier you would know i opposed the banning of the da vinci code .
my opposition to SL being a defined-buddhist state might be derived from me being a 'minority' here, i wont deny that. But i would like to think i'd still favor a secular country had this been a 'christian' country.
You do realise that that the United Kingdom recognizes the Church of England as the official religion and not only does the head of state have to be Christian, they have to be Anglican as well? So no Catholics there, let alone Buddhists, Hindus or Muslims.
In the UK, the state is defined as being Christian.
And the official religion of Norway is Evangelical Lutheran. The Church of Norway is established as the state church of Norway in the Constitution of Norway, and its supreme governor is the reigning monarch of Norway, who is obliged to profess himself/herself to the Lutheran faith. So no Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims there either. You claim it is a secular country? I don't think so.
In Norway, the state is defined as being Christian.
The fact is Deanne, while you're complaining about Sri Lanka and Buddhism, the Sri Lankan state respects and accomodates all the major religious unlike any Christian-majority country. No Christian majority country offically celebrates any non-Christian sacred days of the Buddhists, Hindus or Muslims. They do not allow for a legal system that accomodates the special requirements of ethnic/religious minorities.
Just read about the recent fuss created in the "secular" USA over a senator using a Quran has his oath book instead of a Bible. Besides, in America all money bares the emblem "In God we Trust" and all school children are required to take the pledge of allegiance with reference to "One nation, under God."
You call that secularism do you?
Buddhism has a long history in Sri Lanka spanning thousands of years and Sri Lanka has played a large role in Buddhist affairs through the millenia. It has been the religion of the majority of Sri Lankans before Christianity even arrived in the United Kingdom and Norway. It is the oldest continuously Buddhist community in the world.
Whether you like to accept it or not, the ethos of Sri Lanka is Buddhist just as the ethos of India is Hindu and that of Europe Christian. I have no problem with Buddhism receving the recognition in deserves in the island's constitution.
In my view the Sri Lankan state is already in your third category. We even refuse to import pork-based medicinal products (such as insulin) even though it is cheaper than the alternatives, so as not to upset Muslim sentiment. We ban certain movies and books because Christians find them offensive. Buddhist presidents and ministers go on pilgramage to Hindu shrines in India.
All previous governments had ministries for Christianity, Islam and Hinduism besides Buddhism even though according to the constitution the government did not have a duty to "foster" Christianity, Islam or Hinduism.
Oh and by the way, in the groundview article you conveniently place the events of July 1983 at the feet of "Sinhala Buddhist ideology" but much of the worst violence against Tamils took place in Colombo areas were there were Sinhala Christian majorities. I sure hope you're not trying to argue that Sinhala Christians did not take part in anti-Tamil violence because that couldn't be further from the truth. Another example, Bishop Edmund Peiris imposed a Sinhala-only policy on Tamil Christian parishioners, refusing to run Church services in the Tamil language. Is that "Sinhala Christian ideology"?
It seems as if you want to blame Sinhalese Buddhists so as to make out that Sinhala Christians such as yourself are angels. It is sad how you want to divide the Sinhalese community along religion.
Let's get together and send P.Mahinda home... Good for nothing... Ugay ammagay rata wagay palanaya karanne.. Hariyata vandurata deli pihiya dunna wagay... Unite to defeat p.mahinda terrorism
Sam!!!
we Christians rule the world whether you like it or not... We are the biggest majority in the world so it belongs to us..You'll are mere guests..
Your facts are so wrong. Haven't you read the First Amendment to the american constitution?
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances"
Compare that with our Article 9!!!....
By the way Catholics are Christians... The British Monarch just requires you to belong to a particular congregation that's it..Don't attempt to create a divide among the christians.... Please don't speak against our ideology you're only wasting your energy. Expend that on protecting your damma pada
Buddhism has no place in the modern world except to be mocked... We like to have buddha Bikinis and Buddha Bars haahaa...
Attack one more church in this country and we'll kick your sorry buddha ass!!!... No we have a better way of hurting you people... We'll convert them all......
Sam,
i'm aware of both those cases but when you say head of state in the UK, you to refer to the queen?, in any case the fact that there are other countries defined as Christian, buddhist, or islamic is well known and quite irrelevant.
i never claimed that Norway was a secular country, merely said that people say the society is quite secular. i dont know, i havent been there.
on the issue of the U.S. creating a fuss over something is entirely different from a state exercising power to place one religion over the other, as you might recall there was another 'fuss' created when some supreme court judge wanted to display a religious symbol (Christian i might add) in court property somewhere in the US.
the fact is sam, i think that a legal system that accommodates 'special requirements' is not necessarily desirable, but i would agree there can be space for religious sentiments, purely for pragmatic reasons if for nothing else. Although trying to 'foster' any religion ultimately leads to imbalance, and therefore having a separate ministry for Christianity or any other religion is detrimental.
the focus of my groundviews post was tryin to build a common identity, where I said that having a sate defined by buddhism, and the sinhalese-buddhist mind set is detrimental for building that identity.
i have nothing against Buddhism, merely against the mind-set which dictates that Sri Lanka is 'buddhist' which, (unless its a statistical statement in which case china would be defined as being 'short') is not true for large geographically contiguous land areas of the NE both now and in most parts of the thousands of years of history you speak of. That in itself I think, I think is a good premise for separatism.
i realise how one statement I made in that groundviews post, with reference to 1983 might appear in your eyes as an attempt to project Christians as non participatory entity in the 83 riots, which was not my intention, there are no angels in this conflict, or most conflicts in general. I was merely trying to establish it was this sinhala-buddhist mind-set (which as I said in that post is neither a religion nor an ethnicity) is what induced it, this was never meant to be a reference to Buddhism or Buddhists per se, but rather a reference to the ideology which claims that this is a sinhala-buddhist country, and all other ethnic and religious groups are inferior. I might have been unfair there as I was not around those days to correctly grasp public sentiment.
Despite your claims to the contrary, I’m afraid Sri Lanka does not fit an all-equal all-diverse state, there are, of course as you mentioned some elements of it. but for all practical purposes, Sri Lanka is both constitutionally and de facto a *state* which gives visible prominence to Buddhism.
I do not want to divide any society sam, its you who came here with your youtube jesus-bashing video into a discussion up until then had absolutely nothing to do with religion.
I am not a particularly religious fellow sam, but its people like you who makes me stick to my faith and people like jesus_loves_you who makes me resent it.
Deane.
Mahinda loves money and so does the sun god Prabakeren. Both are corrupt so they want war. In the end the sri lankan suffer....
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